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(No ModeL) A. UTERGUSON.

FREIGHT GAR PLATFORM.

Patented Nov. 10, 1885.

INVENTOI? N PETERS, Phum-uma rI- her, Washi nn nn nn c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

ARTHUR O. FERGUSON, OF SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE FERGUSON PLATFORM AND LIFE-BRIDGE COMPANY, SAME PLACE.

' FREIGHT-CAR PLATFORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 330,216 dated November 10, 1885.

Application filed August 13, 1885. Serial No. 174,259. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, ARTHUR O. FERGUSON, a resident of Saratoga Springs, in the county of Saratoga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Platforms; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

My invention relates to improvements in car-platforms.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide railway cars with projecting end platforms extending transversely of the car and suspended in a horizontal plane below that of the bottom of the car, upon which train-men may safely ride while coupling cars, and by which they may easily pass from the ground upon a car or from a car to the ground; second, to provide a train or series of cars attached to each other with platforms horizontally suspended below the bottoms of the cars in a position to occupy the spaces between the cars and over and between the track-rails to prevent the possibility to trainmen of falling upon the track between the cars.

The invention herein described is an improvement upon the inventions described and claimed in Letters Patent Nos. 302,550 and 302,551, granted to me, assignor, &c., J uly 29, 1884, for improvements in car-platforms.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of my improved platform upon the ends of two attached cars. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a car and improved platform attached. Fig. 3 is a cross-section showng the platform distended. Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the platform contracted and taken at broken line 00 y in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the contracted platform on an enlarged scale.

A A represent the ends of two freightcars connected together through their bumpers a. The hangers B, one on each side and depending from the ends of the cars below the level of the bottoms of their sills 1), Sup

port at their lower ends the platforms 0. The platforms are secured at their ends to the hangers in any desired manner, as by the eyebolts f. The platforms are provided with yielding fronts or extensions D, forming, when extended, as shown in Fig. 3, acontinuation of the platforms. The extensions are attached to sliding rods e, adapted to slide to and fro within the eyebolts g, beneath the platform 0.

It is well known that the manner of securing cars together in making up trains and their form of construction for that purpose permit of a considerable variation in the distance of the cars apart. WVhen the train of cars is subjected to tension or drawn, the cars are farther apart than when the train is subjected to compression or pushed from the rear. When the cars are farthest apart, the spring S or rod e pushes the extension D out from platform 0 on one car to meet the corresponding extension on the contiguous car, and when the cars are pushed together again the extensions are correspondingly pushed beneath platforms 0 against the springs. A perfect and continuous platform is thus maintained between the cars and over the track between the rails, which precludes the possibility of a person falling from the cars upon the track. A train-man can safely stand or ride upon one of the platforms while coupling cars, and in a position convenient to facilitate the operation by reason of the low level of the platform.

The extension D may be made in sections, as shown in Fig. 2, each section extending about half the length of platform 0, or of a single reach What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A freight-car platform formed of a fixed part, 0, and a sliding part, D, in combination with rod 6, eyebolts g, and springs S, whereby the platforms of two coupled cars will automatically adapt themselves to any distance apart of the two cars, as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 100 my hand this'llth day of August, 1885.

ARTHUR O. FERGUSON.

Witnesses W. H. HOLLISTER, J r., Gno. A. MOSHER. 

